Dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant

ABSTRACT

A dynamic demulsification system to facilitate the removal of water from oil for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) which has a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel includes the following system components:
         an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of one or two of each of the dehydrator vessel, the desalter vessel and the water/oil separator vessel, each of which vessels receives a water-oil emulsion;   a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in the respective vessel(s) and/or downstream of the respective vessel(s) with which the sensor is associated; and   a processor/controller that receives the data from the sensor and transmits one or more signals to the one or both of the respective in-line microwave treatment subsystem(s) to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/495,599 filed on Jun. 13, 2012, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/511,650 filed Jul.26, 2011, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in whole crude oil processing,and in particular to an improved method for the demulsification of wholecrude oil in a gas-oil separation plant.

Description of Related Art

Crude oil typically contains varying quantities of gas, water and solidsbased on various well known factors. Water injection processes, in whichwater is injected into the reservoir to increase pressure and stimulateproduction, particularly in mature oil fields, increases the water cut,or percentage of water in the produced crude oil. Oil can be present inwater as free-oil, an emulsion, and/or dissolved states of varyingproportions. “Free-oil” commonly refers to oil droplets of 150 micronsor larger which will float immediately to the surface due to their largesize and relatively rapid rise velocity. An emulsion is a stabledispersion of oil in water and is formed due to the relatively smalldiameters of the oil droplets.

Gas oil separation plants (GOSPs) are well known and are used toseparate gas, water and oil in order to produce dry crude oil as the endproduct. Higher water cuts and tight emulsions of wet oil fromreservoirs increase the difficulty of, and requisite time for theseparation in the GOSP. As the water cut increases, the retention timewithin the separation equipment is increased to cope with the excesswater, and, as a result, the rate of oil production is reduced and theGOSP becomes a bottleneck in the oil production.

Oil droplet size distribution is an important factor impacting thedesign of oil-water separators. Costs associated with treating, handlingand disposing of this water increases over time, as separationefficiency is low. The settling velocity (V_(t)), which measures coarseseparation of oil and water, depends on the magnitude of the differencein densities of the two immiscible liquids. The settling velocityfunction according to Stoke's law is:

$V_{t} = \frac{{gD}^{2}\left( {d_{o} - d_{w}} \right)}{18\mu}$

-   -   where,    -   g=gravitational acceleration (m/sec²);    -   D=diameter of a globule (m);    -   d_(w)=density of water (kg/m³);    -   d_(o)=density of a globule (kg/m³); and    -   μ=absolute viscosity (kg/m·sec).        The same relationship governs the rising of light liquid        droplets in a heavier liquids, in which V_(t) is a negative        value.

Small oil droplets are more difficult to separate. According to Stoke'slaw, decreased droplet size results in lower rising velocities. Aprerequisite for efficient separation is, therefore, that oil dropletscoalesce, i.e., become larger and rise more rapidly.

Water discharge regulations have become more stringent, and compliancein an economical and efficacious manner presents an ongoing challenge tothe industry. While several widely accepted techniques exist forremoving oil from water, there are limitations, including the oilremoval efficiency, i.e., final oil concentration in the treated water,and the oil droplet size for which a selected technique is optimized.Often two to three types of oil-water separation technologies areemployed to treat the produced water to the desired lower hydrocarbonconcentrations. In a mature oilfield, e.g., one producing oil having awater cut of greater than 30%, the economics of the well changesignificantly. Accordingly, design characteristics of a free-waterknockout (FWKO) should be changed or else the FWKO becomes a bottleneckdue to the excess water in the influent crude.

GOSPs are typically designed and constructed to handle oil productionfrom one or more wells situated in one or more reservoirs, the crude oilsources being pooled for processing. The main objective of a GOSP is toincrease the flowability and to produce dry crude oil as an end product,e.g., for loading into tankers or for passage through pipelines to therefineries.

In general, a GOSP is a continuous separation process that commonlyincludes a two-stage or three-stage oil-gas separation facility. Unitoperations include a dehydrator unit, a desalting unit, a water/oilseparation vessel (WOSEP), a stabilizer column, a high pressureproduction trap (HPPT) and a low pressure production trap (LPPT). Inaddition, the GOSP can include boilers, condensers, separation pumps,heat exchangers, mixing valves for addition of demulsificationchemicals, skimmers for stabilizing the emulsion, recycle pumps, levelvalves, relay valves, and control system components such as one or moresensors operatively coupled to a computerized controller or an operatornotification system.

Referring to the schematic diagram of FIG. 1, a typical single trainGOSP system 10 of the prior art includes an HPPT unit 31, a LPPT unit41, a wet crude oil holding tank 49, a dehydrator unit 51, a desalterunit 61, a water/oil separator vessel 71, a wastewater vessel 72, astabilizer column 81, a reboiler 82 and a dry crude oil vessel 91.

A wet crude oil or a tight emulsion crude oil stream 30 from a well poolenters the HPPT unit 31 where crude oil is separated into a gasdischarge stream 32, a water discharge stream 33 that is discharged forcollection to the water/oil separator vessel 71, and a wet crude oilstream 34. Wet crude oil stream 34 from the HPPT unit 31 is passed tothe LPPT unit 41 where the contents are separated into a gas dischargestream 42, a water discharge stream 43 which is discharged forcollection to the water/oil separator vessel 71, and a wet crude oilstream 44 which is passed to a wet crude oil holding tank 49.

Wet crude oil stream 48 is pumped from wet crude oil holding tank 49 andis conveyed to a dehydrator unit 51 for further water/oil separation. Awater stream 53 is discharged for collection in water/oil separatorvessel 71, and a crude oil stream 52 is conveyed to a desalter unit 61.Wet crude oil is washed in desalter unit 61 with aquifer water (notshown), the treated wet crude oil stream 62 is passed to a stabilizercolumn 81, and a water stream 63 is discharged for collection inwater/oil separator vessel 71.

The stabilizer column 81 has a number of trays (e.g., up to sixteen),whereby crude oil flows down over each tray until it reaches a draw-offtray. A reboiler 82 heats dry crude oil from the draw-off tray andreturns it to the stabilizer column 81. Light components in the crudeoil vaporize and rise through the stabilizer trays. Hydrogen sulfide andlight hydrocarbons are removed as a gas stream 84, and a dry crude oilstream 92 is discharged and collected in a dry crude oil vessel 91.

Water/oil separator vessel 71 collects water from streams 33, 43, 53 and63, and separates oil from the collected water using, e.g., centrifugalpumps. Wastewater is discharged to a wastewater vessel 72 and extractedoil is conveyed to the wet crude oil holding tank 49.

In general, the HPPT unit 31 operates at a pressure of from about 100pounds-force per square inch gauge (PSIG) to about 200 PSIG and atemperature of from about 50° C. to about 80° C. LPPT unit 41 operatesat a pressure of from about 30 PSIG to about 70 PSIG and a temperatureof from about 35° C. to about 80° C.

A GOSP is generally designed to treat water cuts in the range of about30% to about 40% by gravimetric separation. The ultimate goal of a GOSPis to reduce the content of contaminant to a suitable level, e.g., lessthan 0.2% bottoms, sediment and water (BS&W), and lower concentration ofdissolved hydrogen sulfide in order to meet crude oil specifications.

Tight emulsions of oil in water (or water in oil) occur naturally,during transportation of crude oil from the wells to the GOSP, andwithin the GOSP. The emulsion level in wet crude increases due toagitation and mixing, particularly when production from the wells isenhanced by injected water. In addition, excess water increases the loadin the dehydration and desalting units, the time for gravimetricseparation, and the requisite quantity of chemical additives.

Tight emulsions can be formed by mechanical mixing and/or chemicalaction. Chemically-created emulsions are generally due to addition ofstabilizers in the reservoir formation. Mechanically-created emulsionsare caused by pumping, large pressure drops through chokes, controlvalves, and other mixing operations. These mechanical forces also impactdroplet size. For example, passing fluids through choke valves (fromhigh pressure regions to lower pressure regions) may cause a reductionin droplet size. The mechanical shearing forces can create a highproportion of dispersed oil droplets of 10 μm and less.

Tight emulsions become increasingly difficult to remove, especially whenthey contain about 1%-4% water in the crude oil. For very tightemulsions, dehydration and desalter units require additional chemicalsand an increase in recycling/pumping to remove the water from theemulsions. However, incorporation of chemical additives can beinefficient due to the low retention time and inefficient mixing.

Accordingly, the long-standing problem addressed by the presentinvention is how to improve whole crude oil processing to increase thecrude oil flowability in a GOSP, and in particular, to improve thedemulsification of whole crude oil in a GOSP.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, one or morein-line microwave treatment subsystems are incorporated in a GOSP tobreak tight oil-water emulsions at such positions as upstream of thedehydrator vessel, upstream of the desalter vessel, upstream of thewater/oil separation vessel, both upstream of the dehydrator vessel andupstream of the desalter vessel, both upstream of the dehydrator vesseland upstream of the water/oil separation vessel, both upstream of thedesalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separation vessel, orupstream of each of the dehydrator vessel, the desalter vessel and thewater/oil separation vessel. The operation of each subsystem orcombination is subject to a dynamic monitoring and control system bywhich characteristics of the emitted electromagnetic energy from thein-line microwave treatment subsystem(s) are varied according toinformation signals transmitted to a control computer via one or morein-line data acquisition elements, e.g., sensors and other instrumentsknown in the art.

For convenience, the term “sensor” will be used to refer to any variousdevices that are used to measure and/or characterize the properties ofthe crude oil stream processed in the GOSP.

In accordance with one embodiment, a dynamic demulsification system foruse in a GOSP includes the following:

an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a dehydrator vesselfor receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream ofa desalter vessel; and

a processor/controller that receives the data from the sensor andtransmits one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predeterminedcharacteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of theemulsion.

In accordance with another embodiment, a dynamic demulsification systemfor use in a GOSP includes the following:

an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a desalter vesselfor receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedesalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of awater/oil separator vessel; and

a processor/controller that receives the data from the sensor andtransmits one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predeterminedcharacteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of theemulsion.

In accordance with another embodiment, a dynamic demulsification systemfor use in a GOSP includes the following:

an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a water/oilseparator vessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thewater/oil separator vessel or downstream of the water/oil separatorvessel; and

a processor/controller that receives the data from the sensor andtransmits one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predeterminedcharacteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of theemulsion.

In accordance with another embodiment, a dynamic demulsification systemfor use in a GOSP includes the following:

a first in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a dehydratorvessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream ofa desalter vessel;

a second in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the desaltervessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a second sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedesalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of awater/oil separator vessel; and

a processor/controller that

-   -   receives the data from the first sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the first in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the first sensor, and    -   receives the data from the second sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the second in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the second sensor.

In accordance with another embodiment, a dynamic demulsification systemfor use in a GOSP includes the following:

a first in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a dehydratorvessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream ofa desalter vessel;

a second in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a water/oilseparator vessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a second sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thewater/oil separator vessel or downstream of the water/oil separatorvessel; and

a processor/controller that

-   -   receives the data from the first sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the first in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the first sensor, and    -   receives the data from the second sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the second in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the second sensor.

In accordance with another embodiment, a dynamic demulsification systemfor use in a GOSP includes the following:

a first in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a desaltervessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedesalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of awater/oil separator vessel;

a second in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the water/oilseparator vessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a second sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thewater/oil separator vessel or downstream of the water/oil separatorvessel; and

a processor/controller that

-   -   receives the data from the first sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the first in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the first sensor, and    -   receives the data from the second sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the second in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the second sensor.

In accordance with another embodiment, a dynamic demulsification systemfor use in a GOSP includes the following:

a first in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of a dehydratorvessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream ofa desalter vessel;

a second in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the desaltervessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a second sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thedesalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of awater/oil separator vessel;

a third in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the water/oilseparator vessel for receiving a water-oil emulsion;

a third sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in thewater/oil separator vessel or downstream of the water/oil separatorvessel; and

a processor/controller that

-   -   receives the data from the first sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the first in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the first sensor,    -   receives the data from the second sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the second in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the second sensor, and    -   receives the data from the third sensor and transmits one or        more signals to the third in-line microwave treatment subsystem        to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined        characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of        the emulsion as determined by the third sensor.

Still other aspects, embodiments, and advantages of these exemplaryaspects and embodiments are discussed in detail below. Moreover, it isto be understood that both the foregoing description and the followingdetailed description are merely illustrative examples of various aspectsand embodiments, and are intended to provide an overview or frameworkfor understanding the nature and character of the claimed aspects andembodiments. The accompanying drawings are included to provideillustration and a further understanding of the various aspects andembodiments. The drawings, together with the remainder of thespecification, serve to explain principles and operations of thedescribed and claimed aspects and embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description willbe best understood when read in conjunction with the attached drawings.For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in thedrawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should beunderstood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and apparatus shown. In the drawings, the same numeral isused to refer to the same or similar elements, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical single train GOSP of theprior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of one embodiment of animproved whole crude oil demulsification system;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a portion of another embodiment of animproved whole crude oil demulsification system;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a further embodiment of animproved whole crude oil demulsification system;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary block diagram of a computer system suitable foruse in the practice of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the reduction of viscosity of tight emulsioncrude oil before and after microwave treatment;

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the reduction in viscosity of a tight emulsioncrude oil after different treatment time periods; and

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A dynamic demulsification system for the improvement of whole crude oilprocessing in a GOSP includes an improved demulsification method inwhich in-line microwave treatment subsystems are integrated in the GOSPafter the treatment stage of the high pressure trap (HPPT) and the lowpressure production trap (LPPT) in the demulsification system. Microwaveenergy promotes inter-particle contact and produces larger droplets thatare easier to separate from. Microwave treatment also makes the removalof hydrogen sulfide dissolved in wet crude oil easier by increasing thedegassing of the soluble hydrogen sulfide. In addition, several in-situsensors are incorporated in the system to improve process efficiency,safety and to provide signals for the control of the electromagneticenergy applied to the fluid stream.

FIGS. 2-4 are schematic diagrams of portions of a GOSP incorporatingembodiments of the dynamic demulsification system of the inventionsemphasizing in-line microwave treatment subsystems at one or morelocations in the GOSP to break tight oil-water emulsions.Electromagnetic energy is applied to the wet crude oil in order to breakthe emulsion and separate water from oil that is conveyed into one ormore of the dehydrator vessel, desalter vessel, or water/oil separationvessel. Electromagnetic energy from the microwave source is applieddirectly to the wet crude oil, and as a result, increases thetemperature causing reduction in viscosity and hence an increase insettling velocity according to Stoke's law. In addition, theelectromagnetic energy causes alteration of the interaction between theoil droplets and the water droplets in favor of coagulation of the oilinto larger droplets, thereby further increasing the settling velocityaccording to Stoke's law.

In the various arrangements, the power characteristics of the appliedenergy are dynamically adjusted based on data related to the requisitedegree of demulsification for the wet crude oil at one or more of thelocations identified in FIGS. 2-4. These characteristics include, butare not limited to, hard emulsion properties, water-cut, and flow rate.The electromagnetic energy interacts with water molecules to heat thestream of wet crude oil to a temperature in the range of from about 100°C. to 120° C. for about 1 minute to about 15 minutes to thereby enhanceseparation of water from the crude oil.

In addition to treating tight emulsions, application of electromagneticenergy also serves to reduce the quantity of dissolved H₂S present inthe crude oil. The H₂S concentration can be measured by an H₂S sensorpositioned upstream of the stabilizer column. The final product, i.e.,dry crude oil, contains less than 10 ppm H₂S in certain embodiments.

Referring to the schematic diagram of FIG. 2, one embodiment of aportion 100 of an improved whole crude oil desulfurization systemincludes an automated control system 110, an injection apparatus 145, anin-line microwave subsystem 146, a mixing valve 147, a dehydrator vessel151, a water level and relay valve 155, and a water/oil separator valve157.

The in-line microwave subsystem 146 is positioned upstream of thedehydrator vessel 151 for continuous and/or dynamic flow treatment ofwet oil, e.g., wet oil stream 120 from a holding tank. The in-linemicrowave subsystem 146 can be a single unit or multiple units to treatstream 120 and permit passage of a microwave-treated wet crude oilstream 121 to the dehydrator vessel 151, optionally through a mixingvalve 147 for optional incorporation of chemical additives via aninjection apparatus 145 such as that indicated in dashed lines inFIG. 1. A wet oil stream 152 is discharged from dehydrator vessel 151and conveyed to a desalter vessel (not shown). The downstream desaltervessel and associated apparatus can be a conventional subsystem, or incertain embodiments can be desalter unit 261 shown and described withrespect to FIG. 3, in which the wet oil passes through another microwavetreatment system. A water stream 153 is discharged through a water leveland relay valve 155 and a water/oil separator valve 157 to a water/oilseparator vessel (not shown). Valves 155 and/or 157 can be used tocontrol the residence time in the dehydrator vessel 151, which time canbe controlled by automated control system 110 based on signalscorresponding to the characteristics of the treated stream received fromsensors.

Sensors can be included at various locations throughout the portion ofthe GOSP shown in FIG. 2, including one or more of a sensor 111 upstreamof the in-line microwave subsystem 146; a sensor 112 downstream ofin-line microwave subsystem 146; a sensor 113 downstream of the mixingvalve 147; a sensor 114 in wet oil stream 152 discharged from dehydratorvessel 151; a sensor 115 in water stream 153 discharged from dehydratorvessel 151 and upstream of the water level and relay valve 155; a sensor116 downstream of the water level and relay valve 155 and upstream ofwater/oil separator valve 157; and a sensor 117 downstream of water/oilseparator valve 157. The sensors are in communication with the automatedcontrol system 110 to implement appropriate process modifications,thereby providing a dynamic demulsification system. In one embodiment,controller 110 can be any suitable programmed or dedicated computersystem, programmable logic controller (PLC), or distributed controlsystem, an example of which is shown in FIG. 5. In embodiments in whichadditional microwave treatment subsystems are provided at the desalterunit and/or the water/oil separation unit, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 3and/or 4, a controller performing the functions of controller 110 can becommon to those other units, or separate and in communication with theother controllers to provide the appropriate feedback and/or feedforwardaction(s).

The emulsion properties of the mixture, in the case of one or more ofsensors 111, 112, 113 and 114, or the oil-in-water content, in the caseof one or more of sensors 115, 116 or 117, are communicated to thecontroller 110. The data is collected by automated programs, such as adistributed control system, and feedback and/or feedforward action isundertaken to adjust the characteristics of the electromagnetic energyemitted from in-line microwave subsystem 146. In addition, feedbackand/or feedforward action can be undertaken regarding the type and/orquantity of chemical additive optionally introduced via injectionapparatus 145, or one or more of the operating conditions of the wet oilin dehydrator vessel 151, e.g., temperature, pressure, residence time.The temperature and pressure of dehydrator vessel 151 are controlled byan appropriately programmed microprocessor/controller data controlsystem in response to signals corresponding to those parameters.Dehydrator vessel 151 is also stream jacketed. The temperature of theinfluent can be varied by an in-line heat exchanger.

Referring to the schematic diagram of FIG. 3, another embodiment of aportion 200 of an improved whole crude oil demulsification systemincludes an automated control system 210, an injection apparatus 245, anin-line microwave subsystem 246, a first mixing valve 247, a desalterunit 261, a relay valve 255, a second mixing valve 256, and a set ofcentrifugal pumps 257.

The in-line microwave subsystem 246 is positioned upstream of thedesalter unit 261 for continuous and/or dynamic flow treatment of wetoil, e.g., wet oil stream 222 from the dehydrator vessel (not shown).The upstream dehydrator vessel and associated apparatus can be aconventional subsystem, or in certain embodiments can be dehydrator unit151 shown and described with respect to FIG. 2. The in-line microwavesubsystem 246 can be a single unit or multiple units to treat stream 222and permit passage of a microwave-treated wet crude oil stream 223,optionally through the first mixing valve 247 for optional incorporationof chemical additives via injection apparatus 245, as indicated bydashed lines in FIG. 2. A wet oil stream 252 is discharged and conveyedto a stabilizer column (not shown), and a water stream 253 is dischargedthrough the relay valve 255 and set of centrifugal pumps 257 to awater/oil separator vessel (not shown). The downstream water/oilseparator vessel and associated apparatus can be a conventionalsubsystem, or in certain embodiments can be water/oil separator vessel371 shown and described with respect to FIG. 4, in which the wet oilpasses through another microwave treatment system. Water stream 253 alsocan be recycled back to the in-line microwave subsystem 246 to furtherseparate water and oil.

Sensors can be included at various locations throughout the portion ofthe GOSP shown in FIG. 3, including one or more of a sensor 211 upstreamof the in-line microwave subsystem 246; a sensor 212 downstream ofin-line microwave subsystem 246; a sensor 213 downstream of the firstmixing valve 247; a sensor 214 in wet oil stream 252 discharged fromdesalter unit 261; a sensor 215 in water stream 253 discharged fromdesalter unit 261 and upstream of the relay valve 255; a sensor 216downstream of the relay valve 255 and upstream of set of centrifugalpumps 257; and a sensor 217 downstream of the set of centrifugal pumps257. The sensors are in communication with the automated control system210 to implement appropriate process modifications thereby providing adynamic demulsification system. In one embodiment, controller 210 can beany suitable programmed or dedicated computer system, PLC, ordistributed control system, an example of which is shown in FIG. 5. Inembodiments in which additional microwave treatment subsystems areprovided at the dehydrator unit and/or the water/oil separation unit,e.g., as shown in FIGS. 2 and/or 4, a controller performing thefunctions of controller 210 can be common to those other units, orseparate and in communication with the other controllers to provide theappropriate feedback and/or feedforward action(s).

The emulsion properties of the mixture, in the case of one or more ofsensors 211, 212, 213 and 214, or the oil-in-water content, in the caseof one or more of sensors 215, 216 or 217, are communicated to thecontroller 210. The data is collected by automated programs, such asdistributed control system, and feedback and/or feedforward action isundertaken to adjust the characteristics of the electromagnetic energyemitted from in-line microwave subsystem 246. In addition, feedbackand/or feedforward action can be undertaken regarding the type and/orquantity of chemical additive introduced via injection apparatus 245, orone or more of the operating conditions of the wet oil in desalter unit261 (e.g., temperature, pressure, residence time). Temperature andpressure of desalter unit 261 are controlled by data control system.Desalter unit 261 can be a steam jacketed vessel to implementtemperature control. The temperature of the influent is varied by anin-line heat exchanger.

Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram of another embodiment of aportion 300 of an improved whole crude oil demulsification system isprovided. The portion 300 includes an automated control system 310, anin-line microwave subsystem 346, a water/oil separator vessel 371, andtwo centrifugal pumps 373 and 374.

The in-line microwave subsystem 346 is positioned upstream of thewater/oil separator vessel 371 for continuous and/or dynamic flowtreatment of wet oil, e.g., wet oil stream 324 from the desalter vessel(not shown). The upstream desalter vessel and associated apparatus canbe a conventional subsystem, or in certain embodiments can be desalterunit 261 shown and described with respect to FIG. 3. The in-linemicrowave subsystem 346 can be a single unit or multiple units to treatstream 324 and convey a microwave-treated wet crude oil stream 325 tothe water/oil separator vessel 371. A wet oil stream 352 is dischargedthrough the centrifugal pump 374 and conveyed to a wet crude oil holdingtank (not shown), and a water stream 353 is discharged throughcentrifugal pump 373 to a wastewater vessel (not shown). Water stream353 also can be recycled back to the in-line microwave subsystem 346 tofurther separate water and oil.

Sensors can be included at various locations throughout the portion ofthe GOSP shown in FIG. 4, including one or more of a sensor 311 upstreamof the in-line microwave subsystem 346; a sensor 312 downstream ofin-line microwave subsystem 346; a sensor 313 in wet oil stream 352discharged from water/oil separator vessel 371 and upstream of thecentrifugal pump 374; a sensor 314 in water stream 353 discharged fromwater/oil separator vessel 371 and upstream of the centrifugal pump 373;a sensor 315 downstream of the centrifugal pump 374 and upstream of thewet crude oil holding tank (not shown); a sensor 316 downstream of thecentrifugal pump 374 and upstream of the in-line microwave subsystem346; a sensor 317 downstream of the centrifugal pump 373 and upstream ofthe in-line microwave subsystem 346; and a sensor 318 downstream of thecentrifugal pump 373 and upstream of the wastewater vessel (not shown).The sensors are in communication with the automated control system 310to implement an appropriate process modification thereby providing adynamic demulsification system. In one embodiment, controller 310 can beany suitable programmed or dedicated computer system, PLC, ordistributed control system, an example of which is shown in FIG. 5. Inembodiments in which additional upstream microwave treatment subsystemsare provided at the dehydrator unit and/or the desalter unit, e.g., asshown with respect to FIGS. 2 and/or 3, a controller performing thefunctions of controller 310 can be common to those other units, orseparate and in communication with the other controllers to provide theappropriate feedback and/or feedforward action(s).

The emulsion properties of the mixture, in the case of one or more ofsensors 311, 312, 313, 315 and 316, or the oil-in-water content, in thecase of one or more of sensors 314, 317 or 318, are communicated to thecontroller 310. The data is collected by automated programs, such asdistributed control system, and feedback and/or feedforward action isundertaken to adjust the characteristics of the electromagnetic energyemitted from in-line microwave subsystem 346. In addition, feedbackand/or feedforward action can be undertaken regarding one or more of theoperating conditions of the wet oil in water/oil separator vessel 371(e.g., temperature, pressure, residence time). Temperature and pressureof water/oil separator vessel 371 are controlled by data control system.Water/oil separator vessel 371 can be a steam jacketed vessel toimplement temperature control. The temperature of the influent is variedby an in-line heat exchanger.

The dynamic demulsification system described herein can be implementedseparately or in cooperation with a real-time optimization system. Suchoptimization can be further enhanced by the use of microwave energy.Sensors related to temperature and pressure are known in existingDistributed Control Systems (DCS). Various optimization models can beused. For example, a general real-time optimization (RTO) system can beused in typical plants. The RTO can include the following components:

a. Data validation: the input and output data are validated using datareconciliation and signal processing techniques,

b. Model updating: the processing facility models, well/network models,are updated to best fit the input and output data available.

c. Model-based optimization: an optimization problem based on theupdated models is set up and solved to obtain the optimal controlsettings.

d. Optimizer command conditioning: a post optimization analysis isperformed to check the validity of the computed control settings.

Real-time optimization as conventionally known is a process of measuringor calculating control cycles at a given frequency to maintain thesystem's optimal operating conditions within the time-constantconstraints of the system. Integration or cooperative use of the dynamicdemulsification system described herein further enhances the real-timeoptimization.

By continuously collecting and analyzing plant data, optimal controlsettings are established. These settings are then either implementeddirectly in the plant under direction of the DCS or other controller, orthey are provided to operating personnel. If settings are implementeddirectly, the RTO is known as a closed loop system. To achieve optimumor near-optimum operations, a model of the plant is continuously updatedby plant measurements to better fit the actual input-output behavior ofthe processing facilities

Suitable software is used to improve throughput and control ofcontinuous processes that have incipient disturbances can be used tooptimize the GOSP unit. The software package offers automatic controlover continuous processes that are difficult to control by conventionalautomation techniques. In RTO systems, the optimum values of the setpoints are re-calculated on a regular basis, e.g., every hour or dailyon as-needed basis. These repetitive calculations involve solving aconstrained, steady-state optimization problem. Necessary informationincludes: (a) steady-state process model; (b) economic information(e.g., prices, costs); and (c) a performance index to be maximized(e.g., profit) or minimized (e.g., cost). Note that, the items (b) and(c) are sometimes referred to as an economic model to maximize oilseparation from water.

The input signals include water/oil content in the feedstream andoverall feed stream, at a minimum, while the output stream will includethe optimized oil separation at a minimum energy applied.

The oil/water content determines whether the emulsion is “tight” despitethe initial pre-heating. Once it is determined that the emulsion has ahigh oil content, it can be further processed by microwave treatment.

An exemplary block diagram of a computer system 400 suitable for usewith the dynamic demulsification system of the invention system 400 andshown in FIG. 5, can be integrated with or separate from an existingreal-time optimization system of the type conventionally used in GOSPs,and includes a processor 402, such as a central processing unit, aninput/output interface 404 and support circuitry 406. In certainembodiments, where the computer 400 requires a direct human interface, adisplay 408 and an input device 410 such as a keyboard, mouse or pointerare also provided. The display 408, input device 410, processor 402, andsupport circuitry 404 are shown connected to a bus 412 which alsoconnects to a memory 414. Memory 414 includes program storage memory 416and data storage memory 418. Routines and subroutines for implementingthe feedback and/or feedforward controls can be stored in programstorage memory 416; data used by those routines and subroutines can bestored in data storage memory 418. Note that while computer 400 isdepicted with direct human interface components display 408 and inputdevice 410, programming of modules and exportation of data canalternatively be accomplished over the interface 404, for instance,where the computer 400 is connected to a network and the programming anddisplay operations occur on another associated computer, or via adetachable input device of the type known for used with interfacingprogrammable logic controllers.

The present invention can advantageously be used to process tightemulsions in extra light crude oil, paraffinic tight oil emulsion andheavy crude oil feedstocks.

The operating conditions for the dynamic demulsification system are amicrowave radiation frequency of about 900 MHz to about 2,500 MHz; amicrowave power level of about 100 watts, in certain embodiments about500 watts to about 5,000 watts; exposure time to microwave radiation ofabout 0.1 minute to about 500 minutes, in certain embodiments about 0.2minute to about 15 minutes. The GOSP system is equipped with safetyprobes in order to monitor the level of microwave energy required forwet crude treatment.

On-line, real-time analysis sensors are currently used to characterizethe fluids at the GOSP facility. An example of such a system is theVideo Imaging Particle Analyzer (ViPA) manufactured by Jorin of the UK.The Jorin ViPA is an on-line image analysis system designed to provideinformation on particle and/or droplet type, size and concentration.Data can be obtained by analyzing a slip stream of the process atvarying sample points. The ViPA uses a video microscope to periodicallycapture an image of the particles in a process flow and a processoranalyses this image. Information on the shape, size, optical density andother physical characteristics are recorded for each particle in theimage before the data is saved and the next image is captured.Approximately 15 images are analyzed each second. The ViPA candistinguish between solid particles and oil droplets using thedifference in their shapes. The ViPA can differentiate among up to eightparticle types in a single liquid flow image using any or all of theparameters.

A sensor for continuously monitoring the liquid interface utilizes ahigh frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and receiver system.The sensor with the data transmitter is housed in a buoyant structurethat has a density that is adjusted to position the unit to monitor theinterface. A sensor suitable for use in this application is sold underthe trade designation ID-223 Floating Sensor by GE AnalyticalInstruments of Boulder, Colo., geai@ge.com. The sensor operates on theprinciple that water absorbs more electromagnetic energy thanhydrocarbons and changes in the absorption rate of water indicate thepresence or build-up of hydrocarbons. The continuous monitoring featureof the sensor allows data to be collected dynamically in real time fortransmittal to the control system. The sensors enable reliable detectionof hydrocarbons and also provide valid indications of the thickness ofthe hydrocarbon layer and the percent of water in oily emulsions. Suchsensors can also be used to detect the interface between the twoemissible liquids having different absorption rates. The monitoringsystem employing this type of sensor can be based on wired or wirelesssignal transmission and can process signals from a plurality of sensors.

A suitable analog signal processor and power supply in a standardindustrial enclosure is also sold by GE Analytical Instruments under thetrade designation PS-220 Controller. The signal generated by thecontroller is proportional to hydrocarbon thickness which can bedisplayed as a bar graph. The signals generated by the floating sensorcan be calibrated to identify tight or hard emulsions and thisinformation can be transmitted in the feedback or feedforward circuitsto control the level and duration of the microwave energy applied to theemulsion.

A sensor and monitoring system preferably includes one or more alarmswhich can be actuated to identify an emulsion layer thickness thatexceeds a predetermined maximum operational level. The monitoring systempreferably includes signal processor relays that are used for local andremote control and for actuating an alarm. Where high flow rates areinvolved, a so-called stilling well can be installed into whichrepresentative samples are admitted for continuous or periodicmonitoring by a floating sensor that is located in the well.

Waste water from the water/oil separator can optionally be furthertreated to minimize the hydrocarbon content of the water discharged fromthe system. Various proprietary commercial processes are known in theart for this purpose. One such process is available from Prosep Inc. ofMontreal, Canada (formerly known as TORR Canada Inc.) and is describedas total oil remediation and recovery (TORR) process technology. It isbased on multistage filtration, coalescence and gravity separation thatemploys a polyurethane-based adsorbent material having oleophilic andhydrophobic groups on the polymer backbone. This adsorbent material isplaced in a series of vessels through which the oily water passes, andthen into a recovering chamber where solution gas and free-floating anddispersed oil is finally separated from the water. The TORR processperforms multi-phase separation by incorporating the physical effects ofadsorption, coalescence, desorption and gravity separation in eachtreatment stage.

Also suitable for further treating the oily waste water beforedischarging it from the system is the Epcon compact flotation unit (CFU)which consists of a vertical vessel acting as a three-phasewater/oil/gas separator. Centrifugal forces and gas-flotation contributeto the separation process. The oil drops and droplets are made toagglomerate and coalesce to produce larger oil drops. This eventuallycreates a continuous oil or emulsion layer at the upper liquid level ofthe flotation chamber. Internal devices in the chamber and simultaneousgas flotation effects triggered by the release of residual gas from thewater facilitate the separation process. In some cases, processoptimization can be achieved by introducing external gas and/or specificflocculating chemicals. The resultant oil and gas deposits are removedin a continuous process through separate outlet pipes.

Another oily waste water treatment is known as CTour Process and usesgas condensate to extract hydrocarbons from water. The condensate isinjected into the produced water stream before being routed throughexisting hydrocyclone systems. The condensate functions as a solvent,which draws dissolved hydrocarbons out of the water phase and over intothe condensate. In addition, the condensate helps to coalesce the smalldispersed oil droplets, which then form larger oil droplets before beingremoved in the hydrocyclones. It is said that the process is alsocapable of removing many dissolved organic compounds from the producedwater.

The process of the present invention advantageously improves theseparatability of oil and water from a wet crude oil and tight emulsionby monitoring the emulsion and modifying the application of the in-linemicrowave treatment of the feedstock in response to information gatheredfrom system sensors. Electromagnetic energy is applied directly to thewet crude oil to increase its temperature and thereby reduce itsviscosity to facilitate the rate of coalescence and separation of theoil droplets in response to changing conditions. A further benefit is areduction in hydrogen sulfide content with increased degassing of thesoluble gas.

EXAMPLES Example 1

A MicroSynth microwave reactor (manufactured by Milestone Srl, Sorisole(BG) Italy) was used to treat a tight emulsion of crude oil collectedfrom an Arabian crude wellhead having a low American Petroleum Institute(API) gravity of about 11.3. The microwave reactor incorporated asafety/limiting feature to control the amount of electromagnetic energyapplied to the tight emulsion crude oil. Power at a level of 500 watts(50% of the total energy capacity of the microwave reactor) was appliedfor 4 minutes. The API gravity was 29.1 after the treatment andelectromagnetic radiation treatment by microwave reactor resulted inseparation of the oil from the extra tight emulsion.

Example 2

The viscosity of a tight emulsion of crude oil from an Arabian oil fieldwellhead was 265.2 mm²/s at 70° F. A quantity of 30 g of this tightemulsion was subjected to microwave treatment using a MicroSYNTHmicrowave reactor. Power at a level of 500 watts was applied for 5minutes. No chemicals or water was added to the system.

The tight emulsion was separated into an oil phase and a water phase.The viscosity of treated oil is visibly improved as the treated oil wasflowable. The viscosity of treated oil was lowered to 19.4 mm²/s at 70°F. Referring to the graph of FIG. 6, the viscosity results before (pointA) and after (point B) of the microwave treatment are plotted. A visualinspection of the sample of the tight emulsion crude oil before andafter microwave treatment established that the microwave treatment wasvery effective in breaking the emulsion.

Example 3

The viscosity of a tight emulsion of crude oil from a tary-oil wellheadwas 2327 mm²/s at 122° F. Power at a level of 1000 watts was applied tothree separate samples for 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 20 minutes,respectively. The viscosity results before (point A) and after microwavetreatment of each sample are shown on the graph of FIG. 7. After 5minutes (point B), the viscosity of treated oil was reduced to 7.8 mm²/sat 122° F.; after 10 minutes (point C), the viscosity of the secondsample of treated oil was 8.0 mm²/s at 122° F.; and after 20 minutes(point D), the viscosity of the third sample of treated oil was 7.2mm²/s at 122° F. It is noted that the viscosity was loweredsignificantly after 5 minutes of microwave treatment and remained almostunchanged after 10 minutes and 20 minutes of microwave treatment.

The method and system of the invention have been described above and inthe attached drawings; further modifications will be apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art and the scope of protection for theinvention is to be defined by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated dynamic demulsification system foruse in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal ofwater from oil, the GOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluidcommunication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluidcommunication with a water/oil separator vessel, the demulsificationsystem comprising: an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream ofthe dehydrator vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion; a sensorfor the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing oneor more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the dehydrator vesselor downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of the desaltervessel, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of abuoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel that continuously monitorsthe liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energytransmitter and/or receiver and an imaging system that generates imagesof a slipstream downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of thedesalter vessel; and a processor/controller that is operably coupled tothe sensor, the sensor providing data to at least one oil-separationprogram, wherein data from the sensor, and the at least oneoil-separation program are stored in at least one memory device, the atleast one oil-separation program being executable in real time by theprocessor/controller to: receive the data from the sensor and transmitone or more signals to the in-line microwave treatment subsystem togenerate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics tothe flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion.
 2. The systemof claim 1, wherein the sensor is a buoyant structure in the dehydratorvessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using ahigh-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an imaging systemthat generates images of a slipstream downstream of the dehydratorvessel and upstream of the desalter vessel.
 4. An integrated dynamicdemulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) tofacilitate the removal of water from oil, the GOSP including at least adehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which inturn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel, thedemulsification system comprising: an in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem upstream of the desalter vessel for receiving a water-in-oilemulsion; a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in thedesalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of thewater/oil separator vessel, wherein the sensor is selected from thegroup consisting of a buoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel thatcontinuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequencyelectromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging systemthat generates images of a slipstream downstream of the desalter vesseland upstream of the water/oil separator vessel; and aprocessor/controller that is operably coupled to the sensor, the sensorproviding data to at least one oil-separation program, wherein data fromthe sensor, and the at least one oil-separation program are stored in atleast one memory device, the at least one oil-separation program beingexecutable in real time by the processor/controller to: receive the datafrom the sensor and transmit one or more signals to the in-linemicrowave treatment subsystem to generate and apply microwave energy ofpredetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on theproperties of the emulsion.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensoris a buoyant structure that continuously monitors the liquid surfaceusing a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/orreceiver.
 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises animaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of thedesalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separator vessel.
 7. Anintegrated dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oilseparation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of water from oil, theGOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication witha desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with awater/oil separator vessel, the demulsification system comprising: anin-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the water/oilseparator vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion; a sensor for thereal-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or moreproperties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the water/oil separatorvessel or downstream of the water/oil separator vessel, wherein thesensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure inthe water/oil separator vessel that continuously monitors the liquidsurface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/orreceiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstreamdownstream of the water/oil separator vessel; and a processor/controllerthat is operably coupled to the sensor, the sensor providing data to atleast one oil-separation program, wherein data from the sensor, and theat least one oil-separation program are stored in at least one memorydevice, the at least one oil-separation program being executable in realtime by the processor/controller to: receive the data from the sensorand transmit one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predeterminedcharacteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of theemulsion.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensor is a buoyantstructure in the water/oil separator vessel that continuously monitorsthe liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energytransmitter and/or receiver.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein thesensor is an imaging system that generates images of a slipstreamdownstream of the water/oil separator vessel.
 10. An integrated dynamicdemulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) tofacilitate the removal of water from oil, the GOSP including at least adehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which inturn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel, thedemulsification system comprising: a first in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem upstream of the dehydrator vessel for receiving a water-in-oilemulsion; a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmissionof data representing one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsionin the dehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel andupstream of the desalter vessel, wherein the first sensor is selectedfrom the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the dehydratorvessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using ahigh-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and animaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of thedehydrator vessel and upstream of the desalter vessel; a second in-linemicrowave treatment subsystem upstream of the desalter vessel forreceiving a water-in-oil emulsion; a second sensor for the real-timemonitoring and transmission of data representing one or more propertiesof the water-in-oil emulsion in the desalter vessel or downstream of thedesalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separator vessel, whereinthe second sensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyantstructure in the desalter vessel that continuously monitors the liquidsurface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/orreceiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstreamdownstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of the water/oilseparator vessel; and a processor/controller that is operably coupled toat least one sensor, the at least one sensor providing data to at leastone oil-separation program, wherein data from the first and secondsensors, and the at least one oil-separation program are stored in atleast one memory device, the at least one oil-separation program beingexecutable in real time by the processor/controller to: receive the datafrom the first sensor and transmit one or more signals to the firstin-line microwave treatment subsystem to generate and apply microwaveenergy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based onthe properties of the emulsion as determined by the first sensor, andreceive the data from the second sensor and transmit one or more signalsto the second in-line microwave treatment subsystem to generate andapply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowingfluid based on the properties of the emulsion as determined by thesecond sensor.
 11. An integrated dynamic demulsification system for usein a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of waterfrom oil, the GOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluidcommunication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluidcommunication with a water/oil separator vessel, the demulsificationsystem comprising: a first in-line microwave treatment subsystemupstream of the dehydrator vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion;a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of datarepresenting one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in thedehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream ofthe desalter vessel, wherein the first sensor is selected from the groupconsisting of a buoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel thatcontinuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequencyelectromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging systemthat generates images of a slipstream downstream of the dehydratorvessel and upstream of the desalter vessel; a second in-line microwavetreatment subsystem upstream of the water/oil separator vessel forreceiving a water-in-oil emulsion; a second sensor for the real-timemonitoring and transmission of data representing one or more propertiesof the water-in-oil emulsion in the water/oil separator vessel ordownstream of the water/oil separator vessel, wherein the second sensoris selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure in thewater/oil separator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surfaceusing a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/orreceiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstreamdownstream of the water/oil separator vessel; and a processor/controllerthat is operably coupled to at least one sensor, the at least one sensorproviding data to at least one oil-separation program, wherein data fromthe first and second sensors, and the at least one oil-separationprogram are stored in at least one memory device, the at least oneoil-separation program being executable in real time by theprocessor/controller to: receive the data from the first sensor andtransmit one or more signals to the first in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predeterminedcharacteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of theemulsion as determined by the first sensor, and receive the data fromthe second sensor and transmit one or more signals to the second in-linemicrowave treatment subsystem to generate and apply microwave energy ofpredetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on theproperties of the emulsion as determined by the second sensor.
 12. Anintegrated dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oilseparation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of water from oil, theGOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication witha desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with awater/oil separator vessel, the demulsification system comprising: afirst in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the desaltervessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion; a first sensor for thereal-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or moreproperties of the water-on-oil emulsion in the desalter vessel ordownstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of water/oil separatorvessel, wherein the first sensor is selected from the group consistingof a buoyant structure in the desalter vessel that continuously monitorsthe liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energytransmitter and/or receiver and an imaging system that generates imagesof a slipstream downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of thewater/oil separator vessel; a second in-line microwave treatmentsubsystem upstream of the water/oil separator vessel for receiving awater-in-oil emulsion; a second sensor for the real-time monitoring andtransmission of data representing one or more properties of thewater-in-oil emulsion in the water/oil separator vessel or downstream ofthe water/oil separator vessel, wherein the second sensor is selectedfrom the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the water/oilseparator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using ahigh-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and animaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of thewater/oil separator vessel; and a processor/controller that is operablycoupled to at least one sensor, the at least one sensor providing datato at least one oil-separation program, wherein data from the first andsecond sensors, and the at least one oil-separation program are storedin at least one memory device, the at least one oil-separation programbeing executable in real time by the processor/controller to: receivethe data from the first sensor and transmit one or more signals to thefirst in-line microwave treatment subsystem to generate and applymicrowave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluidbased on the properties of the emulsion as determined by the firstsensor, and receive the data from the second sensor and transmit one ormore signals to the second in-line microwave treatment subsystem togenerate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics tothe flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion as determinedby the second sensor.